cookies for the demon
by shel
Summary: chocolate chip cookies bring out the truth...


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CHARMED

"Cookies for the Demon"

by shel

© november 2002

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disclaimer:

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the charmed ones, cole, and leo, and the rest of the cast of characters we've come to know and love, belong to spelling television, inc. and possible other copyright holders. i intended no true infringement on their copyrights; i only wanted to borrow these marvelous characters for a short time in my own scenarios and hopefully return them no worse for wear; the only things i've gained from this story are the satisfaction and pleasure of having written it and in knowing that others may have enjoyed it too

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rating:

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pg-13

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summary:

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chocolate chip cookies bring out the truth

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timeline:

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three days after the events of season 5's sympathy for the demon'

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archive:

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please don't without expressed permission

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notes:

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there is reference to events from 'enter the dragon'please let me know if you enjoyed my tale and why and, if not, why notand, please, don't bother wasting your time or mine by sending any flames

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Wednesday Afternoon

"Mmmm," Piper murmured as she entered her kitchen. "Something smells positively yummy."

Paige glanced at her sister suspiciously and placed the last of the fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies from the rack onto the large paper plate. "Considering that, for the past few weeks, the smell of any food has sent you running to the bathroom, I'm not so sure that's a compliment."

Piper stuck her tongue out at her sister, nabbed a cookie, and quickly avoided her sister's playful slap. "Hey, for all the times I cook for you, I think I'm entitled." She took a bite and savored it as she swallowed. "Besides, now that I can keep food down, I'm more appreciative of others having picked up the cooking duties around here." She finished the cookie. "What made you decide to bake? It's not something you often volunteer to do."

"Because cooking and baking isn't my thing," Paige replied as she finished covering the plate of cookies with aluminum foil.

"That's because you're too impatient," Piper commented as she wiped down the counter, "which's kind of ironic considering that you're half Whitelighter."

"Yes, well, anyway," Paige considered, "it's the one thing I know I can make well. Besides, I don't need a mixer which means less to clean up after." Paige sighed, "I remember when Gramma would let me help her. I would get to stir while she added all the ingredients. It was our thing." Paige shook off her memory, picked up the plate, and headed for the back door. "Well, I'll see you later."

"Hey," Piper called after her, "where are you going?"

"Out," Paige answered.

"You mean you finally baked something and you're not sharing the cookies with us?" Piper pouted.

"Honey," Paige promised, "if it means that much to you, I'll bake you a fresh batch when I come home."

"So," Piper said as she was momentarily satisfied, "who's the lucky guy?"

"Guy?" Paige warily asked. "What makes you think there's a guy involved?"

"Come on, Paige," Piper laughed, "you're not telling me you baked to impress some girl?"

"Why does it matter who they're for?" Paige countered.

"Are you trying to tell me" Piper uttered in shock.

"No," Paige quickly insisted. "I just want to know why you're making a big deal about this."

"Big deal about what?" Phoebe asked as she entered the kitchen.

"Great," Paige muttered, "just great."

"Hey, guys," Phoebe greeted her sisters, "what's going on?" She inhaled and smiled, "Piper, you're back! What did you make? Smells like cookies!"

Piper smiled, "I may be back in the kitchen but I can't take credit. Paige made chocolate chip cookies."

Phoebe grinned and looked around, "That's so sweet, Paige. Where are they? I can't wait to taste them."

"Sorry to hear that," Paige muttered. "Look," she announced to her sisters, "I gotta go. See ya later."

"Hey, where are you going?" Phoebe asked in confusion at her sister's quick exit.

"Out," Paige groaned in frustration.

"She baked them for some guy," Piper told Phoebe, "and won't tell me who."

"Why not?" Phoebe asked, clearly interested. "Is he someone new? How'd you meet?"

"Don't you have a job to be at?" Paige asked instead.

"Yeah, but I forgot one of my disks at home and had to come back and get it," Phoebe answered. "This is so exciting. Weren't you recently complaining about your lack of a social life? Come on, 'fess up. How'd you meet this guy? What's his name?"

"You are going to be so sorry you asked," Paige muttered.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Piper told Paige as she realized her youngest sister was growing more uncomfortable under interrogation.

"Why not?" Phoebe asked. "What's the big secret? Obviously they're not for Glenn or Dave or Mike or, what was that guy's name from the video storeWait a minute, is it someone we know? Is that why you don't want us to know? It's someone we know, isn't it?"

"Yes," Paige shouted in frustration, "it's Cole! There, are you happy now?"

"Cole?" Phoebe asked, stunned. She turned to Piper who merely shrugged in return. "Whywhy would you bake cookies for Cole?"

"I thought it was an easy way to say thank you," Paige admitted.

"Easier than sending a card?" Phoebe muttered.

"Thank you for what?" Piper asked as she glanced with worry at Phoebe.

"He did just save all our lives," Paige commented. "And none of us acted terribly gracious about it," she added as she stared pointedly at Phoebe.

"We know what he did," Phoebe quietly answered.

"Do you?" Paige wondered. "Do you really? Sorry, I couldn't tell," she sarcastically added.

"Since when are you such a fan of Cole's?" Piper nervously inquired.

"I'm not," Paige declared. "But at least I recognize the good the man did. It seems I'm the only one."

"You're not," Phoebe disagreed.

"Then why'd you act like such a bitch?" Paige retorted before she quickly regretted her words. She saw the stunned look on Piper's face and the stung look on Phoebe's and she quickly apologized. "I am so sorry, Phoebe. I didn't mean --"

"You wouldn't have said it, if you hadn't meant it," Phoebe quietly interrupted, "at least partly." She noticed Paige's hurt expression and rationalized, "Maybe you didn't mean to say it, but you had obviously been thinking it."

"That's no excuse," Paige shamefully admitted. "How you deal with Cole is your business and I have no right to presume anything."

"Of course you do," Phoebe conceded. "He hurt you. He hurt all of us."

"What's going on between you and Cole, Paige?" Piper inquired again. 

"Nothing," Paige answered as she rolled her eyes. "I'm not inviting him back into our lives. I told you, I just wanted to thank him for what he did." Her sisters didn't say anything and she turned to leave. But, almost immediately, she turned back to them. "You know, Phoebe, I really don't get it. Cole was powerless. An innocent. He was actually good. He was exactly what you wanted him to be and, not only did you reject him without blinking an eye, but you rubbed his face in the fact that you're happily seeing Miles. I just don't get it. But, like I said, how you deal with him is your business." And, without waiting for a response, she left her stunned sisters standing still in the kitchen.

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Wednesday Evening

"How are they?" Phoebe asked as she indicated to the plate of chocolate chip cookies that were on the coffee table.

"I'm still here," Cole dryly commented as he followed Phoebe into the living room. "Sorry," he quickly apologized, "old habits" But Phoebe still seemed uncomfortable so he honestly answered. "They're good." Phoebe nodded and didn't sit. "So."

"So" Phoebe echoed as she stared at the picture frame that rested next to the plate.

Cole's eyes wandered to the picture. In it, Phoebe stared adoringly at him. It had been snapped unexpectedly by Prue on the day before Piper's wedding but all agreed it was a great picture. He smiled at the memory but his smile faded when he saw Phoebe's sad expression. "So what did I do now?" he asked instead. Phoebe seemed momentarily startled by his question. "It is why you're here, isn't it? To lecture me on something I've done wrong."

"No," Phoebe quietly answered as she looked down. "I came here," she continued as she finally looked up at him, "because I've done something wrong."

This time, Cole was the one startled. "What do you mean?"

"I know what you did for us, Cole," she answered. "Of everyone, I know what it's cost you. And I didn't even have the decency to say thank you. For that, I'm sorry."

"I did what I had to do," Cole replied simply.

Phoebe wasn't sure what to add so she repeated, "Well, thank you." She started to move towards the door.

"That's it?" Cole asked, incredulously. She turned back to him in confusion. "You came all the way over here just to say that? Why didn't you just call? Or send flowers?"

"I thought it should be in person," Phoebe responded as she turned around, "maybe that was a mistake, too. It's just that Paigewell, let's just say, she really made me see that I was wrong in the way I acted."

"Guess she was returning the favor," Cole commented to himself. He noticed the quizzical look on Phoebe's face and explained, "Last year, she convinced me I was wrong about the way I was treating you." He saw her begin to frown and quickly added, "Don't worry, I won't go there. I know you don't want to be reminded of anything of our past."

Phoebe recognized his tone and asked, "What do you want, Cole?"

"Too much, apparently," he angrily replied.

"I told you we were over, from the beginning," Phoebe gently reminded him.

"So you did," he agreed but, unable to calm himself, he continued in a more animated manner, "more than once. And in new ways too. Tell me, does Milo know you're merely using him to hurt me?"

"His name is Miles," Phoebe responded as her own temper began to flare and she took a step towards him, "and I'm not using him so leave him out of this."

"Why?" he countered as he moved towards her. "You brought him into it when you mentioned your all-important fourth date. Tell me, Phoebe, what happens on your fourth date? Do you sleep with him?"

"How dare you!" she shouted in his face. "It's none of your damn business."

"It sure as hell is my business when you're my wife!" he shouted back.

"Ex-wife!" Phoebe angrily clarified. "And I will sleep with whomever I choose. Whenever I choose!"

Cole was about yell at her when he suddenly grabbed her and kissed her hard. Full of anger. Just as he felt her body begin to respond he pushed her back. "He will never satisfy you the way I do and he will never ever understand or complete you the way I do." And before she could respond, he faded out of the room.

Phoebe lightly touched her bruised lips and whispered, "I know. God help me, I know."

She looked around the empty room and shakily walked back to the sofa. But, the tears began to flow before she could make it and she brought one hand to her mouth to stifle her cries. She doubled over and reached out for support of the sofa's arm with her free hand. But her sobs quickly overcame her and she sank to the floor.

She sobbed silently at first. Until it became too much and she whimpered aloud while trying to catch her breath. Somehow, she managed to pull herself up onto the sofa and curled herself into a ball on its cushion. Eventually, her cries subsided and she began to breathe more calmly.

From her curled position, she spotted the picture frame next to the plate of cookies. She slowly sat up and she sniffled as she wiped her eyes and nose. Phoebe then reached for the picture frame and gently stroked the cheek of Cole's image. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. She brought the frame to her chest and lay back down on the sofa. She clenched the frame and apologized again as the tears flowed anew.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this," she softly cried. "We were supposed to live happily ever after." Phoebe sniffled again and slowly sat up. She leaned against the arm of the sofa and took several deep breaths. "But we'll never have that, will we? Fate will forever come between us. I know you mean to be good but you meant to be good before. What happens if you turn evil? I don't know that I'm strong enough to vanquish you again. Will I have to watch you kill my sisters instead? And what happens if I turn evil? How can I keep you on the side of good if I can't stay there myself? How can we find a way to be together when we're so easily tempted by evil? When we enjoy it too much?" Phoebe sniffled again and touched the photo. "No, Cole, I won't lose you again. I can't. I love you too much. It's safer for you if we're not together. It's safer for us both. If only you weren't so stubborn" She stared at his image and gave a slight smile, "You're too stubborn for your own good. I guess it's just one more thing we have in common." Her smile faded, "Maybe one day you'll find it in your heart to forgive me for pushing you away like this. Maybe some day we'll have eternity." 

She brought her index and middle fingers to her lips, kissed them, and touched his image. "I love you, Cole, and I hope one day you'll believe that." She placed the frame back on the table and whispered, "If there had been any other way"

Phoebe got up and steadied herself. As soon as she regained her balance, she added in another whisper, "But this is the only way.Good-bye, love."

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"You're wrong, Phoebe," Cole spoke to the empty room as he finally stepped out of the bedroom from which he heard Phoebe's entire monologue. 

It had taken every ounce of strength within him not to reveal himself and comfort her when he first heard her sobs and even more strength not to reveal his presence now.

He glanced down at the picture frame and frowned. It disturbed him to realize just how afraid Phoebe was since his return. She had never been afraid of him before. Except for brief moment when she learned the truth about his being the Source, she never feared him or his powers. He knew her fear was based on her traumatic experience at his hands and the Seer's but that she would push him away by using another man in order to protect him truly bothered him. And he had no idea how to begin to assuage her of her fears of herself. 

Cole wearily sat on the sofa and stared at the photo. He reached over and picked it up. "Miles isn't the answer, Phoebe, and somewhere deep inside you know it." 

A nagging voice in the back of his head worried, though, that she was right about fate. 'Maybe we aren't meant to be together,' the voice told him.

"No!" Cole loudly insisted. He touched Phoebe's image and told 'her', "I'll give you the space you need and you'll see for yourself that your plan is a mistake. Your heart may be in the right place but you're wrong, Phoebe, and I'll be here waiting when you realize the truth. We do belong together and we will find a way to make it work."

Cole grabbed a cookie off the plate and, in a calmer voice, promised, "We will. Third time's the charm."

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the end


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